What is the Best Pump Shotgun?

Right now I have what is considered the ‘Legendary’ Remington 870 Express.  I am not overwhelmingly impressed as I should be with such a moniker behind it.  In the past I have owned all Mossbergs and all models including the 835 Utilimag, 500, 590A1, and the Flex 590.   Since I have also fired some Benellis and Brownings this is going to be my final and definitive article on the pump shotgun, so here goes.

Why pump vs. semi auto-shotgun? Most semi-auto shotguns are notorious for not being able to handle certain loads and will not properly extract and eject ‘lighter loads’.  Semi-autos are also significantly more expensive and unless you are a gunsmith or worked in the factory that built the gun, good luck taking it apart to clean it.  I also like pumps because of Herb Parsons.  Now that’s out of the way let’s talk shotguns and all shotguns discussed are 12 gauge.

1. Remington- This legendary firearm maker has some Quality Control issues right now.  My brand new 870 Express has problems ejecting spent shells after extraction which can cause stove piping.  Some of the other problems are actual extraction problems which is partly due to a batch of barrels that need to be polished in the chamber and a MIM (mold injected metal) extractor vs. the use of a steel one.  My final gripe is the plastic trigger group which is not horrible, but not great .  Since contacting Remington, I was told to try bending the ejector spring out and have not had any problems.  This is a very solid feeling shotgun and I am going to purchase the 870 Wingmaster trigger group (which is still metal), and the steel extractor; and of course a Vang Comp 2 shell tube extension and the 18″ tactical barrel.  After that it will be one hell of a shotgun.  Remington seems to understand that the 870’s are having these problems but it is cheaper to deal with them as they come than recalling them all.  Not really what I expected from a brand new ‘Legendary’ shotgun but still very solid and not too much recoil even with slugs.  Breakdown of this weapon is pretty straightforward and if shown how to do it, even a novice could tear it down to clean it.  All that aside, the Remington platform is based on a steel receiver and a solid foundation.  The upgrades are limitless and this gun can and will outlast you.  Of course if 2.75″ and 3″ shells are not big enough, go with the 870 Supermag and you can shoot 2.75″, 3″, and the awesome 3.5″ nitro mags that were designed to mimic a 10 gauge.  More than 10 million of these American icons have been made throughout the years.  Do yourself a favor and get the 870 Wingmaster which has the metal trigger group and all the ‘good stuff’.  Then build it as you will if you want to go the home defense route.  Stay away from the Remington 887 as I have heard the initial inherent problems were never addressed and fixed so they sound pretty junky, but don’t take my word, do your own research.

Mossberg 590A1

2. Mossberg- Critics say they are ‘cheap’ because they are less expensive than competetors but let me tell you, I have owned 4 completely different Mossberg shotguns and they always work.  Just like Remington, Mossberg is using plastic parts on the 500 models.  The trigger group and tang safety are plastic and the magazine tube has no open end so it cannot be cleaned out easily.  The fore-end has some play and they are significantly lighter than other shotguns because the reciever is made of aircraft grade aluminum which has been accused of being ‘weak’ but that has no bearing on thier reliability or ruggedness.  To be quite honest, for about $300 you can get a Mossberg 500 with a 28″ barrel (with chokes) and an 18″ tactical barrel for home defense.  I have owned and shot a modern 500 and it is very light and my wife said it feels ‘rickety’.  If you are unbiased and don’t care if a gun feels rugged or not this is a good deal.  No matter what anyone says, Mossberg’s are very reliable and are not cheap.  The 590 is a step up with composite trigger gaurd and safety and a magazine tube that can be cleaned out, and of course the 590A1 has an aluminum safety and trigger gaurd, heavy barrel, and a bayonette lug.  This is by far my favorite all around shotgun.  I must say that the 590A1 or any Mossberg are most comfortably used with a standard shotgun/rifle stock.  Any type of pistol grip makes the safety and slide release difficult to actuate.   In other words, the controls were designed for hunting and do not translate to tactical very well.  Mossbergs are not easy to fully break down and take some moderate knowledge or at least mechanical inclination.  It is certainly not impossible and with practice will seem easy enough.  The Flex 590 is like a 590 but with quick connect pieces.  The stock, forearm, and butt pads can all be interchanged very quickly and easliy for whatever application you need.  It is a pretty cool concept and the fittings are nice and tight to start off at least because nobody has owned one long enough to test the longevity of the fittings.  The biggest problem is the lack of aftermarket parts.  You buy the shotgun you want and that is it for now unless you buy a different model and use the parts interchangeably.  This should change in the near future hopefully.   If you want the 3.5″ nitro punch then purchase the 835 Utilimag.  My first shotgun was an 835 and I bought it for $180 (very used), put close to 10,000 rounds through it and sold it for $180.

3. Benelli-  This is an Italian shotgun and if you have any questions about Italian craftsmanship just look at the ruins that still remain from thousands of years ago in Rome.  Many people say that the Benelli Nova has a ‘cheap’ feel to it.  The stock and receiver on the Nova is a high tech poly material but the internals of the trigger and bolt carrier are all metal.  In other words this gun would be great for duck hunting in the rain and not worrying about rust.  The barrel of the Nova comes off the standard method of removing the barrel nut and it just slides off.  After that, the gun comes apart with no tools for cleaning and goes back together sort of like legos.  These are not very upgradeable as you can only change the barrel from a hunting to a home defense but there are magazine tube extensions available, and of course if you get it drilled and tapped you can add optics if need be.  This is a very smooth functioning base level shotgun and can handle up to 3.5″ nitro mags.  It is also the only entry level pump shotgun that has a built in recoil system.  For a few hundred more you can purchase the Super Nova and get a really nice, fully upgradeable shotgun that will meet all of your needs.  The form and the controls are very different from the typical American looking shotguns (like Winchesters, Mossbergs, and Remingtons), but if you are not a ‘purist’ and are looking for a good all around first shotgun I strongly recommend one of these for their dependablility and exceptional quality of parts.  My biggest complaints are the poly material (I do like my guns to be mostly metal) and the slide release is sort of buried on the left side of the trigger gaurd right behind the loading port and is not particularly easy to depress in a life or death situation.  I have heard (but do not necessarily believe) that one of the big wigs at Benelli has a Nova in a museum that has 480,000 rounds through it.

4. Browning- If you can afford one of these, by all means purchase one.  These are some of the smoothest funcitoning shotguns you can buy.  There is no ejection port on the side so when you eject a shell it comes out of the bottom where you load the shells.  This is great for lefty’s and if you are duck hunting in a boat; you know the shells will go straight down into the boat so you don’t have to go swimming for your empty shells.  It boasts a steel receiver and all metal parts that were well thought out and will outlast you.  Browning shotguns however do not have home defense upgrades or models but if you have the money to buy a Browning BPS, you can certainly afford another shotgun for home defense.  The biggest downfall about the BPS is that it practically takes a rocket scientist do break it down for cleaning.  Which means it most likely needs to be brought into a gunsmith every time you want it cleaned.  All in all this is one of the best shotguns you can buy for the money and will outlast your children.  Be sure to get it in the camo finish to avoid rust.

5. Winchester- The plant is closed so. . .no more I guess.  If you can get your hands on a Winchester 1300 or 1300 Defender, please do so.  I have heard nothing but good things about these pump shotguns as they use a rotary bolt system and are supposed to be ultra smooth at cycling, extremely reliable, and very rugged feeling.  These also have upgrades and can be made as tactical as any home defense shotgun.  I have never shot or handled one of these but it felt important to at least pay it ‘lip service’ so to speak.  Expect to pay upwards of $400 for the defender model and it is well worth it.

My favorite all time is the Mossberg 590A1 with ghost ring sights, 20″ barrel, parkerized with a 9 shot capacity and standard stock.  Our military used this shotgun for years and for good reason.  It was the only shotgun to pass the flawless 3000 slug and 00 buck test, has a heavy barrel, metal trigger group, metal trigger gaurd, and a bayonette lug.  This is probably not the best shotgun if you want to shoot trap or skeet but it is a great survival shotgun.  When choosing a shotgun, you should always handle them and feel the weight.  Spend time actuating the safety and slide release.  If possible shoot any and all shotguns you are interested because they all feel and shoot differently.  Honestly if you have the money, buy one of each because after all, pump shotguns are addictive.  I don’t know what it is but if I could I would probably have a safe full of them.

If you have any additional input feel free to comment below, and if you have any questions, e-mail me at philymack13@gmail.com